Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
“But in all seriousness”—Gareth takes his glass and drops his speech to the table, turning towards us— “today has been just about perfect, guys. Not just because the wedding was beautiful, but because if there are two people in this world who should be together, it’s you two.” He raises his glass. “I love you, and I wish you every ounce of happiness. You both deserve it and more. To Billy and Lo.”
Everyone stands, holding up their glasses too. “To Billy and Lo.”
I drop my face into Billy’s chest, hiding from all of the eyes as they clap and cheer. “I’m up, baby,” Billy says quietly, encouraging me out of his chest. As I press my lips together in nervous anticipation, he places me back on my chair and drops the gentlest of kisses on my lips. He doesn’t look in the least bit nervous. Not even when the room falls silent.
He doesn’t call upon any notes. He doesn’t face the room. His dark eyes are set squarely and unmoving on me. He swallows. I swallow. I think I hear everyone in the room swallow.
“I can’t say that I ever believed in love at first sight.” He smiles a little, holding his hand out to me. I take it, and he squeezes. “I never saw myself meeting that one woman who would turn my world upside down. A woman who would dazzle me so much with her brilliance and gentle soul, that I would change my plans right there and then to make room for her in my life. Would make her my life.” Dipping, he rests his lips on the back of my hand. “Lo Evans was that woman. They say that behind every good man is a good woman. They’re right. I know I’m a better man with Lo behind me, and with every day she blesses me with her love, I become an even better man.” He briefly casts his eyes around the room, while I try and fail to hold on to my emotions. A tear rolls down my cheek. I don’t bother wiping it away. There will be many more. “This woman is the most selfless, loyal person I’ve ever encountered. The kindest, the most passionate. She loves with everything she has, and I’m fucking thrilled, lucky, and blessed that she is mine.” Turning back to me, he lowers to his knees and takes my neck in his palms, pulling me forward. “I’m going to do you so proud as your husband, Lo.” He kisses me gently, muffling my little sob. “And I’m going to be the best father to our children.” He smiles, wiping under my eyes with the pads of his thumbs. “My life is dedicated to you—to keeping you safe, making you happy, and fulfilling all of your dreams.”
“My dream is you.” I throw my arms around his shoulders and hug him to death, aware of the sniffles penetrating the room. Sniffles that aren’t mine.
“We’re going to be so happy together.” Billy sinks his face into my hair, clinging to me. “I will worship the ground you walk on until the day I die, Mrs. Harper.”
I smile through my happy tears. “And I will worship you.”
Part of me doesn’t want the day to end, but the biggest part of me just cannot wait to get away from all of these people and start our married life together. I swirl my drink in the glass, catching my first moment of the day alone at the top table, watching as Billy tries to make it back to me. Everyone is stopping him, either cuddling him, shaking his hand, or trying to talk to him. He’s gracious, but I can see it on his face. He wants to get us out of here too. I look down at my wedding ring, thumbing it around my finger, lost in my thoughts. Thoughts of him. Thoughts of the next two weeks on a tropical beach in the middle of the Pacific with only each other for company. I smile, though it falls when I hear the beginning of a familiar track. A track that Billy blasts in the house every Sunday morning to stir me before he crawls all over me and wakes me up in his own adorable way. His favorite track. I look up and find him, as he finds me. With every beat, one more person in the room disappears until it is only us. Us and the music.
He jerks his head for me to go to him as he walks into the middle of the dance floor. Goodness, my throat is clogging up as I stand and pick up the bottom of my dress and Steven Tyler breaks the music with the first line of “I don’t want to miss a thing.”
Billy must get impatient waiting for me, because once I step onto the edge of the floor, he comes to me, taking my hand and yanking me into his chest. I look up into his eyes. “Very smooth,” I whisper.